Stay With Me
by DisneyCastleFriends18
Summary: Post episode 3x24 "Knockout". What would have happened if Kate found out that Josh shoved Castle? It starts when Kate wakes up after her surgery. One-shot.


**A/N: This is my 6th Castle FanFiction story. Once I started writing my first story, it was hard to stop. It has been a week since Castle ended and I'm missing it so much already. I don't know what to do on my Monday nights any more. Any way, hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Castle. Castle will always belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.

"Stay With Me"

Kate Beckett, NYPD Detective, wakes up in a hospital bed one day after getting shot at her Captain's funeral. Her dad, Jim Beckett, is sitting in a chair at her bedside. When Jim sees his daughter stir and wake up, he reaches for her hand to give it a squeeze. "Hey Katie," Jim says in a whisper and a small smile on his face. "How are you feeling?" Jim is relieved that his little girl is alive.

Kate turns her head to look over at her dad and gives him a tiny smile. "I'm ok, dad. Still feeling a bit of tightness in my chest."

Jim nods, "Well, you did get shot in the chest. You had to have surgery."

Looking around her hospital room, Kate didn't find who she was looking for. She looked at her dad in wonderment, "Where's Castle?"

"He was here. They were all here. After you came out of surgery they all went home to get some rest. I was the only one who stayed."

Kate nodded her head. Then she paused for a moment before asking, "Who's all?"

"Your friends from the precinct and Rick. Rick's mother and daughter were here too." Kate's eyes got big in shock from hearing Martha and Alexis were there making sure she was ok. Jim continued on, "Josh was waiting with us for a while after he had a fight with Rick."

Her head snaps to look at her dad, surprised at what she had heard, hoping she misunderstood. "Josh and Rick got into a fight?"

Jim took a deep breath, not knowing if he should tell his daughter what had happened. She had already gone through enough. But, Jim saw the look in Kate's eyes and decided to tell her what had happened. He nodded his head, "Yes. Rick and Josh had a fight."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Jim had to take a slight pause, "Are you sure you want to know Katie?" All Kate could do was nod. "Ok. Josh had come out to the waiting room. We thought that maybe he had some news on you. When you got into the OR he was about to operate on you, but was kicked off the case, because he would have been too emotionally attached." Jim took a deep breath and squeezed his daughter's hand before continuing. "Josh had come out practically yelling at Rick. Josh was blaming Rick for you getting shot. Josh had even shoved Rick into the wall."

Kate looked down to her lap and shook her head in disbelief. "Josh shoved him? He blames Castle for me getting shot?" She kept thinking about Castle and how he must be feeling right now. That's when she remembers what he had said to her in the cemetery before she blacked out. No matter how tired she was, she quickly looked over to her dad, "I need to see Castle." Jim nodded and as he stood up to take out his phone to call Castle, Kate stops him, "But… I need to speak to Josh first."

Kate had fallen asleep shortly after her dad had gotten up in search of Dr. Josh Davidson. When Jim returned to his daughter's room he had Josh following close behind. Both Jim and Josh saw Kate was asleep. "Josh, let Katie rest. Come back a little later." Josh just looks at Jim, nods, and turns to walk out the door.

A couple of hours later Josh returns to Kate's room. This time he sees her sitting up as best as she can. He walks over to her, looks at Jim and asks, "Mr. Beckett, will you give us a moment please?"

Jim stands up from the chair he was sitting in, nods his head, "Of course." Jim pats Kate's arm, "I'll be back later Katie."

Kate looks up to him and gives him a smile. "Thanks dad."

Dr. Davidson and Kate have a little talk. There was some raising of voices, but they had to bring it back down, so as to not disturb anybody else. Kate was getting so mad at Josh she was turning red. But, she had to try and stay as calm as possible because her chest was starting to hurt again. "Josh," Kate says quietly, but obviously upset, "You shoved Castle. I am not ok with that. You blamed him for me getting shot in the chest… I'm not ok with that either." Kate took a deep breath and very calmly said, "You need to go." She pointed in the direction of the door. "I need you to walk out that door and never come back… You and I are done. We are no more." Before Josh could say anything in protest, "No Josh. Just go. I don't want to hear it."

With that Dr. Josh Davidson walks out the door never to be seen again. After Josh had been gone for about an hour, Jim returns.

"Hey dad" Kate says when Jim walks through the door. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything for you Katie."

"Will you call Castle for me?" She smiles at her dad, "I'm ready to see him now."

"Ok, Katie. I'll be right back. Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thanks dad. Just calling Castle will be enough for now."

An hour later there is a knock on Kate's door.

"Come in" says Kate as she looks over to the door wondering who it could be.

Castle, being a little shy pokes his head through the door, "Is it safe to come in?"

When Kate sees Castle's head poke around the door she has a smile that can light up the whole room. She is oh so very glad to see him. With a little chuckle and the infamous Beckett eye roll, "Yes, Castle. It's safe to come in."

Jim gets up from his chair so he can kiss the top of Kate's head. "I'm going to head home and leave the two of you alone."

"Ok, thanks dad. Have a good night."

"Good night Katie. Call if you need anything, ok?"

Kate just nods at her dad and then looks at Castle. "Hey Castle. Come and sit down."

Castle hesitates his actions, not wanting to push anything. He is carrying an arrangement of flowers to be place on the table next to her bed. With a shy smile, "Hey." Once he sets the flowers down he takes a seat in the chair Jim had vacated. "How… how are you feeling?" Castle is being cautious with his words and actions.

"I'm doing ok… Earlier today it felt like I had an elephant sitting on my chest." Kate can see the concern in Castle's eyes and the way he's sitting. She does her best to reach out to touch his arm. "I'm ok Castle."

With a tear forming in his eye, "I was so scared Kate… I thought… I thought I would never see you again."

Kate saw the tear that had formed, roll down his cheek. "I know Castle. But, I'm right here."

Without saying a word, Castle moved the chair as close as possible to the bed and grabbed Kate's hand. "Do you know what happened? Do you remember anything?"

Beckett hesitates for a minute before answering. She takes as deep a breath as she can, "I remember standing at the podium giving my eulogy. Then the next few things happened in a flash. And then all of a sudden I had a pain in my chest and I was lying on the ground with you hovering over me."

Castle nods, "Yeah. While you were giving the eulogy, you looked over at me, then looked away. After you looked away from me, I looked away. When I looked away there was something that caught my eye. Something had been shining. I was too late to realize what it was." Castle has full blown tears running down his face. "I was too late in trying to tackle you to the ground."

Kate shaking her head and squeezing Castle's hand, "No Castle. You weren't too late. I'm still alive, right?"

Shaking his head, "But, I couldn't save you from actually getting hit. The way I see it, I was too late. The bullet still hit you anyway." Now Castle was crying. He was wondering what his life would be like had Kate not made it.

Doing her best to try and comfort him, "Sh, Castle it's ok. This isn't your fault. Do you understand me? This is NOT your fault."

Catching his breath before he can speak, "Josh doesn't think so."

"Castle, look at me." Castle looks Kate in the eye. "Don't let Josh get to you. In fact, don't even worry about him. He won't be a problem anymore."

Castle wipes the tears away from his face, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm saying that Josh won't be bothering me, you, or anyone else ever again." Kate grabs hold of Castle's hand again, "Josh and I are over. I broke up with him before my dad called you."

"What? Really?" Kate nods her head and gives Castle a shy smile. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing much really. I already knew our relationship wasn't going anywhere and was planning on breaking up with him some time. But, then my dad told me what happened between you guys and I knew I had to break up with him as soon as possible."

Surprised by what Kate had told him, "What? Your… your dad told you what happened between me and Josh?" Kate nodded her head again. "Why? Why did your dad tell you?"

She takes a breath and lets it out slowly. "He told me, when he was telling me who was here." Feeling hurt for Castle, "I can't believe Josh shoved you. I am not ok with that."

"Yeah, well, I didn't really put up much of a fight. I was an easy target. I was already vulnerable." Another tear forms in his eye, "I thought I had lost you."

"You didn't Castle." She takes both of his hands in hers and squeezes them. "I remember Castle… I remember what you said to me when you were hovering over me."

Rick stops his tears from falling. He wasn't expecting to hear that from her. "You… you remember me telling you I love you?"

With a smile on her face and tears forming in her eyes, "Mm hm. And that you also told me to stay with you." Kate reaches out to touch Castle's cheek and he leans into the palm of her hand.

"I have another confession to make."

Now curious, "What's that Kate?"

Pulling away from Castle to lie back on the bed, she uses her index finger in a gesture for him to come closer. When Castle stands up to get closer to Kate, their noses practically touch, "I love you too." Both of them have the biggest smiles on their faces. "I love you so much."

Castle couldn't stop himself. Instead of giving her a hug and a smile, he kisses Kate softly on the lips. "I love you Kate. Thank you for staying with me."

She smiles at him, "Thank you for being the reason for me to fight, to stay with you." She grabs hold of his shirt to pull him back down to her and gives him another soft kiss. "Will you do something for me?"

"I will do anything for you."

"I need to get away from the city for a while. I need a place to recover physically and emotionally… Will you come with me to my dad's cabin? I would like you to be there with me through my recovery."

"I'd be happy to." Castle gives her a soft kiss and rests his forehead against hers.

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too, Kate. Always." There is a comfortable silence between the two, just enjoying each other's company and the fact that Kate is alive. "Um… Kate?"

"Yeah babe?"

 _Babe?_ That took Castle by surprise. "When we're at the cabin…" Castle is nervous and shy to ask, "Where… where would I be sleeping?"

Kate looks up at Castle, who has an arm wrapped around her shoulders, "With me of course. You'll stay in my room, in my bed with me." She gives Castle a little peck on the cheek. "I'm pretty positive I'll wake up having nightmares, and I want you there next to me."

Castle kisses the top of Kate's head, "Ok honey."

With that Kate falls asleep with Castle's arm still around her. Castle has to find a spot for himself next to her on the bed. Once he gets himself settled, he wraps the other arm around her to keep her safe. They are both sound asleep when a nurse comes in to check on Kate. When the nurse sees them sleeping, she smiles and turns to walk out the door, leaving the happy, new, couple be.


End file.
